The month started just fine, a good 1-year checkup at the doctor, just one immunization shot that you handled pretty well, and a fun day-trip to my friend Susan’s baby shower. Pretty uneventful. Then your daddy left town for 11 days and I was all alone with you round-the-clock, which hasn’t happened… well, EVER. So that was quite an experience. Luckily we kept busy with birthday celebrations (mine, not yours!) which helped pass the week. And you slept pretty well at night, which I really appreciated :)

Then your daddy came home, and we were so happy. You had your playmate back, and I had my sanity-giver back. We both were all ‘YAY!’ That night you started getting sick- a fever, very fussy, bit of a runny nose. We didn’t think anything of it, just a minor sickness, that was all. Then we had a night to end all nights. Nobody got any sleep, and we were all miserable. I could recount the details again, but let’s just try to forget how horrible that night was, shall we? Not my proudest moments as your Mommy.

Turns out you had a fun sickness you picked up from daycare- thankfully not serious, but it made us feel that much worse for being frustrated and angry with you when you wouldn’t sleep that night. But we didn’t know, sweetheart. We just didn’t know.

Mercifully, for all of us, you are better now. No more rash or fever or crankiness. In fact, you have been extremely happy and fun these past few days. Maybe it’s a case of us appreciating it more after last week, but we’ve really been having fun with you. You learned a bunch of new things this weekend, including where your nose is, and how to use your feet to push your Princess Car forward (you could only do backwards before) You also give kisses to the Elmo on your diaper- many of them, and you give them freely and with excitement. Why don’t you give US kisses so willingly? We are a little jealous of Elmo, I have to say.

You also cut a third tooth this month, FINALLY. The fourth one is on its way I think- no official signs, but it can’t be too far behind the newest one.

With all of this new stuff you’ve learned, you’ve also developed quite a sense of Independence. YOU HATE WHEN WE SAY NO. I guess that just comes with the territory, but I really thought we’d have more time before that started. You get SO MAD at us, and you’ll make a face and yell back. Honestly, I think it’s kind of cute, except for when you’re doing something that’s dangerous, like attempting to dive off of the couch head-first. You really shouldn’t do that, sweetie.

As hard as this month was and as glad as I am that it’s finally over, I can say that I have never been more happy being your Mommy. Even when it’s so hard, and we’re both crying in the dark at 3 in the morning, and I feel like the Biggest Failure At Being Maggie’s Mom, I’m still so glad I AM your Mom. It sounds crazy and like I’m just saying that to make it all nice and ‘happy-ending-y’, but it’s really really true. That’s the weird thing about being a parent, you’ll hopefully learn that one day. Even when it sucks, it’s still the Greatest Thing you’ll ever do.